File Merging System for Merging Layout Input Files

Abstract

A file merging system includes first and second input disks, an output disk, and a processor connected to the first input disk, the second input disk and the output disk. The first input disk includes a first layout input file including a plurality of first cell records. The second input disk includes a second layout input file including a plurality of second cell records. The processor writes the plurality of first cell records and the plurality of second cell records in the output disk without modification.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A file merging system comprising:
 a first input disk storing a first layout input file therein, the first layout input file including a plurality of first cell records;   a second input disk storing a second layout input file therein, the second layout input file including a plurality of second cell records;   an output disk; and   a processor connected to the first input disk, the second input disk and the output disk, the processor configured to write the plurality of first cell records and the plurality of second cell records to the output disk without modification.   
     
     
         2 . The file merging system of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to write the plurality of first cell records and the plurality of second cell records to the output disk without loading either of the plurality of first cell records or the plurality of second cell records to a memory. 
     
     
         3 . The file merging system of  claim 1 , wherein the first layout input file and the second layout input file are layout input files processed in a distributed manner. 
     
     
         4 . The file merging system of  claim 1 , wherein a sequence of the plurality of first cell records in the first input disk and a sequence of the plurality of first cell records stored in the output disk are identical to each other. 
     
     
         5 . The file merging system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of first cell records in the first input disk are different than the plurality of second cell records in the second input disk. 
     
     
         6 . The file merging system of  claim 1 , wherein the first layout input file and the second layout input file have a 2-level hierarchy. 
     
     
         7 . The file merging system of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of first cell record and each of the plurality of second cell record includes a cell name, a cell shape and a cell location. 
     
     
         8 . The file merging system of  claim 1 , wherein a location of each of the plurality of first cell record and a location of each of the plurality of second cell record are represented based on the same origin point 
     
     
         9 . The file merging system of  claim 1 , wherein the first layout input file further includes a first table record connecting a cell name of each of the plurality of first cell records to a corresponding first reference number, and the second layout input file further includes a second table record connecting a cell name of each of the plurality of second cell record to a corresponding second reference number. 
     
     
         10 . The file merging system of  claim 9 , wherein the processor is further configured to create a third table record connecting a cell name of each of the first plurality of cell records and a cell name of each of the plurality of second cell records to new reference numbers after writing each of the plurality of first cell records and each of the plurality of second cell records in the output disk without modification. 
     
     
         11 . The file merging system of  claim 1 , wherein the first layout input file further includes a first top cell record placed at the topmost layer of a hierarchical structure formed by the plurality of first cell records, and the second layout input file further includes a second top cell record placed at the topmost layer of a hierarchical structure formed by the plurality of second cell records. 
     
     
         12 . The file merging system of  claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured to create a third top cell record placed at the topmost layer of a hierarchical structure formed by the plurality of first cell records and the plurality of second cell records after writing the first plurality of cell records and the second plurality of cell records to the output disk without modification. 
     
     
         13 . The file merging system of  claim 1 , wherein the first layout input file and the second layout input file are OASIS (Open Artwork System Interchange Standard) files. 
     
     
         14 . A file merging system comprising:
 an input disk storing a layout input file;   an output disk storing a layout output file; and   a processor connected to the input disk and the output disk and configured to create the layout output file using the layout input file,   wherein a plurality of cell records in the layout input file are arranged in an identical order to a plurality of cell records in the layout output file.   
     
     
         15 . The file merging system of  claim 14 , wherein the processor is further configured to write the plurality of cell records in the layout input file in the output disk without modification and to create the layout output file. 
     
     
         16 . A method for merging layout input files, comprising:
 receiving a first layout input file including a plurality of first cell records from a first input disk;   receiving a second layout input file including a plurality of second cell records from a second input disk; and   writing the plurality of first cell records and the plurality of second cell records to an output disk without modification, using a processor.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the processor writes the plurality of first cell records and the plurality of second cell records to the output disk without loading either of the plurality of first cell records or the plurality of second cell records to a memory. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein prior to receiving the first and second layout input files, the first layout input files and the second layout input files are each processed in a distributed manner. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the plurality of first cell records are stored in the output disk in a sequence that is identical to how the plurality of first cell records are stored in the input disk and the plurality of second cell records are stored in the output disk in a sequence that is identical to how the plurality of second cell records are stored in the input disk. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the first layout input file further includes a first table record connecting a cell name of each of the plurality of first cell records to a corresponding first reference number, and the second layout input file further includes a second table record connecting a cell name of each of the plurality of second cell record to a corresponding second reference number, and
 the processor creates a third table record connecting a cell name of each of the first plurality of cell records and a cell name of each of the plurality of second cell records to new reference numbers after writing each of the plurality of first cell records and each of the plurality of second cell records in the output disk without modification.